The Making of the Modern Iranian Woman: Gender, State Policy, and Popular Culture, 1865-1946

333 Pages·2002·5.88 MB·English

by  CAMRON MICHAEL AMIN

The Making of
the Modern Iranian Woman
Gender, State Policy, and Popular Culture, 1865–1946
Camron Michael Amin
Notes to Pages 00–00 | i
The Making of the Modern Iranian Woman
Florida A&M University, Tallahassee
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton
Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers
Florida International University, Miami
Florida State University, Tallahassee
University of Central Florida, Orlando
University of Florida, Gainesville
University of North Florida, Jacksonville
University of South Florida, Tampa
University of West Florida, Pensacola

The Making of the Modern Iranian Woman
Gender, State Policy, and Popular Culture, 1865–1946
Camron Michael Amin
University Press of Florida
Gainesville ·Tallahassee ·Tampa ·Boca Raton
Pensacola ·Orlando ·Miami ·Jacksonville ·Ft. Myers
Copyright 2002 by Camron Michael Amin
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free,
totally chlorine-free (TCF) paper
All rights reserved
07 06 05 04 03 02 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Amin, Camron Michael.
The making of the modern Iranian woman: gender, state policy, and
popular culture, 1865–1946 / Camron Michael Amin.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8130-2471-4 (cloth)
1. Women—Iran—History. 2. Feminism—Iran—History. 3. Women’s
rights—Iran—History. 4. Iran—Social policy—18th century. 5. Iran—
Social policy—19th century. I. Title.
HQ1735.2 .A75 2002
305.42'0955—dc21 2002016574
The University Press of Florida is the scholarly publishing agency
for the State University System of Florida, comprising Florida A&M
University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University,
Florida International University, Florida State University, University of
Central Florida, University of Florida, University of North Florida,
University of South Florida, and University of West Florida.
University Press of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611–2079
http://www.upf.com
For my family, my friends, and all those who hope for freedom
and equality for all Iranians

Contents
List of Illustrations and Tables ix
Preface xi
1. The “Women’s Awakening” Reconsidered 1
2. Tradition and Renewal 16
3. Imagining the Modern Iranian Woman 48
4. Unveiling and Its Discontents 80
5. Renewal’s Bride 114
6. The Capable Woman 142
7. The Limits of Emancipation 189
8. Breaking with Male Guardianship 215
9. The Legacy of the Women’s Awakening 246
Notes 255
Bibliography 301
Index 313

Illustrations and Tables
Illustrations
2.1. Women in a Gilan shrine in 1861. 22
3.1. A leftist cartoon of Reza Shah, 1925. 75
3.2. Comparing Iranian and European Families I. 76
3.3. Comparing Iranian and European Families II. 77
5.1a.Women from around the world choose their ideal husbands, 1938.
133
5.1b.Iranian women choose their ideal husbands, 1939. 134
6.1. Ten women medical students at the University of Tehran in 1946.
143
6.2. Medical students protesting to increase the quota of students
accepted into the University of Tehran Medical School, 1945. 143
6.3. University of Tehran medical students on an outing, ca. 1950. 144
6.4. Exercising for the nation-state in Germany and Iran. 173
6.5. Women students working in a lab alongside men, 1941. 174
6.6. Iranian women pilots, 1940. 175
6.7. The first woman pilot receives an award. 176
7.1. Young “educated housewives” in training, 1940. 203
7.2. The conflation of health and beauty, 1937. 209
7.3. The endurance of Western glamour, 1944. 211
8.1. Cover of Women’s World, 1944. 216
8.2. “If a Woman Represented the Nation,” 1946. 233
8.3. Princess Ashraf reclaims Zanjan, 1946. 235
Tables
1.1. Chronology of the “woman question” 8
6.1. Elementary school teachers in Iran, 1937–48 (1316–27) 185
6.2. Secondary school teachers in Iran, 1937–48 (1316–27) 186